996 (and 996Outpost.com) write-up for PCA San Diego Region's monthly magazine...

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5chn3ll
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996 (and 996Outpost.com) write-up for PCA San Diego Region's monthly magazine...

Post by 5chn3ll » Thu May 17, 2018 1:37 pm

The editor of our local region's monthly magazine requested submission for next month's edition, so I'm using the opportunity to pitch the site AND the car. I hope it winds up in print...the exposure wouldn't hurt.

Any comments?

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Refuge for 996 Lovers

Back in January of this year, I registered the site “996Outpost.com” and started working on the forums. A number of users from other forum sites have joined me; we continue to slowly accumulate users and build a community around the 911 underdog…the Porsche 996.

We all know the 996 story…it’s the Porsche that saved Porsche (wait, I thought the Boxster was the Porsche that saved Porsche?!?), but it’s also maligned as the “poor man’s 911,” criticized for everything from reliability issues to the quality of the cabin.

If you haven’t had the opportunity to drive a 996, I highly recommend giving it a try. Even though the earliest 996s were made 20 years ago, the 996 was an evolutionary change from the lawnmower cars preceding them. Driving aids – or “nannies” – are often badmouthed, but PSM goes a long way to help the 911 shake its “widowmaker” reputation. Early 996’s were optioned with PSM, Porsche’s intermediate step between no driving aids, and PASM and other more modern stability management suites. Using a combination of tricks like active brake differential and retarding engine timing, PSM does a great job of keeping 996s out of ditches without constantly interfering with the fun.

It’s hard to imagine that a car that left the factory with just under 300 horsepower would be considered a supercar, but the 996 offered seriously impressive performance when it was introduced in 1998. Reviewers of the day almost universally decided it was the “best Porsche ever.” The 4.6 second 0-60 time put the 996 into rarefied air; other cars of the era turning similar acceleration numbers include the Ferrari 355 Berlinetta and the Chevrolet Corvette ZR-1. An entry-level 996 made its way to 60MPH a tenth of a second faster than the 1993 968 Turbo!

Of course, 0-60 times aren’t what we Porsche lovers live for. Curves are always more fun than straight lines, and the 996 shines in this regard. The 996 was the most forgiving 911, much less prone to lift-off oversteer than its lawnmower older brothers. In fact, my 1999 Carrera 4 was nearly impossible to spin during our PCA region’s 3-day Performance Driving School, but a truckload of soapy water finally made it possible to hang the end out. Throttle steering requires some serious skill in an lawnmower 911, but the 996’s redesigned chassis and driver aids make it easier than ever to keep the pointy end forward. Coincidentally, I cannot recommend highly enough PCA SDR’s Performance Driving School. I’ve taken the course twice, once with my 986 Boxster and again when I purchased my 996 about six years ago. The school is a fantastic way to learn the limits of your new (or new-to-you) Porsche without endangering you, your car, and other roadgoing folks.

The 996’s denigrators point at the intermediate shaft bearing (IMS) failures, rear main seal oil leaks, cold-climate cylinder bore scoring, and a few other issues as proof that the 996 is a lemon. While it’s true that the 996 has its share of mechanical foibles, Porsche and the aftermarket have addressed them. The naysayers also find fault with the interior finish. True, full leather and wood would be nicer than soft-touch plastics, but the 996 cockpit is a great place to do the business of driving. The controls are simple compared to the 997 and subsequent 911 iterations. I feel that the interior of a “real” sports car should be somewhat spartan rather than dripping with switches and lights, and the 996 offers a fantastic blend of creature comforts and simplicity.

Because so many 996’s were produced (over 175,000 including all variants), and because of the negative press generated by the IMS bearing and other mechanical issues, you can get into a 996 for less than you’d pay for an entry-level Nissan. “Handyman specials” can be had for less than $15,000, and low-mileage garage queens are out there starting at $25,000 and up. 996’s aren’t cheap to maintain – what 911 is? – but the low cost of entry has made the 911 available to folks who previously only dreamed of driving the car of their childhood dreams.

996Outpost.com is, I hope, a second home for those of us who know and love the 996. Every Porsche owner is welcome – we have subforums for all of you – but the heart of the site belongs to the 996. If you have a 996, I hope you’ll come visit us; if you don’t have a 996, I encourage you to try one on. If you’re willing to overlook the funny headlights, I guarantee that you’ll fall in love. After all, you can’t see the headlights from the driver’s seat.

Understeer: You will hit the wall with the front end.
Oversteer: You will hit the wall with the rear end.
Horsepower: How hard you will hit the wall.
Torque: How far you will move the wall.

Gone hunting with Alec Baldwin and Dick Cheney. Back soon.

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Re: 996 (and 996Outpost.com) write-up for PCA San Diego Region's monthly magazine...

Post by gnat » Thu May 17, 2018 1:42 pm

The 4.6 second 0-60 time put the 996 into rarefied air
The Turbo (which didn't appear until 01) maybe. No stock plain 996 is that fast.

The MkI C4 was 5.2s and I believe the C2 was 5.0. Nothing to pan back then by any stretch, but still a long way from 4.6.

Kalashnikov
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Re: 996 (and 996Outpost.com) write-up for PCA San Diego Region's monthly magazine...

Post by Kalashnikov » Thu May 17, 2018 2:00 pm

Not true Gnat. 1998 C2 cars with no options would do that. It is doable, but nobody on this board outside of few nut cases would attempt it. Drop the pressure in the rears, rev the car to redline, dump the clutch, power shift to 2nd. Early base C2 cars were 2,900 lb. My 2002 with many options, tiptronic, and no launch did 0-60 in 5.3.


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gnat
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Re: 996 (and 996Outpost.com) write-up for PCA San Diego Region's monthly magazine...

Post by gnat » Thu May 17, 2018 2:11 pm

Kalashnikov wrote: Thu May 17, 2018 2:00 pm Not true Gnat. 1998 C2 cars with no options would do that. It is doable, but nobody on this board outside of few nut cases would attempt it. Drop the pressure in the rears, rev the car to redline, dump the clutch, power shift to 2nd. Early base C2 cars were 2,900 lb. My 2002 with many options, tiptronic, and no launch did 0-60 in 5.3.
Porsche likes to understate their power and 0-60 times, but if they had broken the 4s boundary back then they would have been crowing about it even if it was 4.9s. In 20 years I have never seen a claim of a sub 5s stock 996. Got any examples where real test equipment is used (e.g. not a GPS or the speedo)?

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Re: 996 (and 996Outpost.com) write-up for PCA San Diego Region's monthly magazine...

Post by EPiK » Fri May 18, 2018 12:55 am

my C2 996 is a 3/1998 car, no options but an LSD so hypothetically it should be one of the fastest.. unfortunately (for this convo) its not stock anymore. It does get up north of the speed limit pretty quickly but how do we test it? Accelerometer?

Altogether good article though.
1999 Carrera 2, factory ordered LSD, GT3 wannabe and daily driver
1988 944 NA/AT to MT/Turbo project.. future Outlaw
2003 G35 coupe 6mt GT35RS.. other daily driver
2013 Durango R/T package with a 6er

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FRUNKenstein
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Re: 996 (and 996Outpost.com) write-up for PCA San Diego Region's monthly magazine...

Post by FRUNKenstein » Fri May 18, 2018 5:39 am

Great idea Dallas.
I will see if I can get it published in the KCRPCA newsletter also.
www.kansascityautomuseum.com
Current:
2002 996TT X50, Guards Red
1987 928S4, Guards Red
1987 951, Guards Red
1973 914 2.0 Bahia Red

2006 955S, Lapis Blue
Other toys:
1988 BMW 325i Cabriolet, Alpin Weiss
1987 Bertone X1/9, Verde Chiaro
Gone but not forgotten: 1975 914 2.0, Laguna Blue; 1999 996 C4 Aerokit Black; 1990 964 C2 Guards Red; 2006 955S Arctic Silver

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Re: 996 (and 996Outpost.com) write-up for PCA San Diego Region's monthly magazine...

Post by gnat » Fri May 18, 2018 7:01 am

EPiK wrote: Fri May 18, 2018 12:55 am my C2 996 is a 3/1998 car, no options but an LSD so hypothetically it should be one of the fastest.. unfortunately (for this convo) its not stock anymore. It does get up north of the speed limit pretty quickly but how do we test it? Accelerometer?
Calibrated and certified equipment including accelerometers and speed traps.

Speedos in cars over report speed to varying degrees so they can't be trusted and consumer/light commercial GPS devices are not accurate enough (don't lock to enough satellites). Accelerometers are limited by how they were tuned and they will drift over time requiring re-calibration. The is why you can take multiple "identical" devices and get (sometimes wildly) different results.

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5chn3ll
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Re: 996 (and 996Outpost.com) write-up for PCA San Diego Region's monthly magazine...

Post by 5chn3ll » Fri May 18, 2018 11:29 am

The 0-60 numbers came from the ultimate reliable source: The Interwebs. The editor will double-check the numbers and adjust as necessary so I don't come across looking like a completely schmuck, but I submitted a rewrite for that paragraph anyway:

The 996 offered seriously impressive performance when it was introduced in 1998. Reviewers of the day almost universally decided it was the “best Porsche ever.” The 4.9 second 0-60 time put the 996 into rarefied air; other cars of the era turning similar acceleration numbers include the Aston Martin DB7, Lamborghini Diablo, and the TVR Chimera. Top Gear commentator Tiff Needell was nearly giddy during his review of the 996, declaring the 996 a "use-it-every-day supercar."

Understeer: You will hit the wall with the front end.
Oversteer: You will hit the wall with the rear end.
Horsepower: How hard you will hit the wall.
Torque: How far you will move the wall.

Gone hunting with Alec Baldwin and Dick Cheney. Back soon.

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5chn3ll
Six shots...or only five?
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Re: 996 (and 996Outpost.com) write-up for PCA San Diego Region's monthly magazine...

Post by 5chn3ll » Fri Jun 08, 2018 5:11 pm

The new issue of Witness hit the streets today, and I think we've already seen a couple of new members from the exposure. Very cool.

Understeer: You will hit the wall with the front end.
Oversteer: You will hit the wall with the rear end.
Horsepower: How hard you will hit the wall.
Torque: How far you will move the wall.

Gone hunting with Alec Baldwin and Dick Cheney. Back soon.

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flatsix
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Re: 996 (and 996Outpost.com) write-up for PCA San Diego Region's monthly magazine...

Post by flatsix » Fri Jun 08, 2018 9:09 pm

It brought me here today.
2001 Carrera 4 6spd

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